JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Life has a way of getting in the way when we least expect it; suddenly presenting us with ultimatums without ever preparing us for their outcome.
That was the case for Laurie Ramos, as it is for many women who test positive for breast cancer. She, with her family, put life on hold for a while – so she could hold onto life – for as long as possible.
"She'll always be beautiful, forever," said Martin Ramos, Laurie's husband.
Laurie says he made it to every appointment. He never left her side, especially during the most difficult moments.
"I just wanted Martin you know. I waited for him to get home but I just got impatient and went ahead and chopped off the ponytail," Laurie said.
The two were strengthened by something that all too often destroys, not just blood cells and organs, but marriages. But certainly not in their case.
"He sat down and he got his clippers and shaved it all off and I sat there with tears rolling down my face and he talked the whole time and I don't even know what he talked about," said Laurie, laughing.
"I was listening to her tell the story and I was like I don't remember saying any of that," said Martin, "but my goal was just to lift her spirits. I married her because I could make her laugh. And I can still make her laugh."
The Ramos' own the oldest operating skate park in the world here in Jacksonville – Kona Skate Park. It's even in the Guinness Book of World Records. However, that's not what their story is about. It's really about learning to let that go, even during a time when finances were more strained than they ever could have imagined.
"We had to focus on what was most important to us, so we walked away from work," Martin said.
In 2013 Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer. She got the call the day before Thanksgiving. From then on, it was a balancing act.
"It's just a lot of tough decisions. When your family goes through something like this," said Martin, "you have to decide the things that you value."
Just wanting to just get through the holidays, Laurie and Martin kept it from their kids, from their family and friends until after the New Year.
"I said I'm great, how are y'all? Because you don't stand on the church step and tell everyone I have breast cancer and I'm about to have a double mastectomy and I'm scared. You say I'm fine. But then I got in the car and I'm not fine," Laurie said.
Laurie had a double mastectomy in Jan. 2014, followed by 16 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 rounds of radiation, during which time she was often left bed-ridden recovering.
"On my last day of chemo my friend threw a big party at Taco Lu in the middle of the day on a Wednesday. Thirty people were there to celebrate the last day of chemo and ironically I had a friend there, Apryle, who was celebrating her last day too."
She and Apryle started their recovery together.
"I think God put me there with her for a reason, to say hey you got a second chance, make the most of it."
Their recovery, however, did not follow the same path.
"Unfortunately after fighting for another year Apryle lost her battle."
Cancer stood in stark contrast to their healthy, active lives. Her friend was once a triathlete and Laurie was once competing as a bikini model.
"The sooner you catch it the better. Mine had actually been growing for three years in there."
Now, Laurie is returning back to her normal life, with the love of her life, happy to be fighting another day and hoping to inspire other women going through the same thing.
On Nov. 6 she will hold an event at Kona Skate Park raising awareness about Breast Cancer. All the proceeds will go to help survivors.
